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Monday, January 2, 2012

The Great Exchange

It’s a NEW year!!

As is in my tradition, I sat at the beach yesterday and recapped the past year. I think it might be the first time in my life that looking back, I can say, 2011 is a year that I am grateful is over. In the past month I’ve heard several people say 2011 was one of their worst years, a year they couldn’t wait to end. I didn’t really understand that until I honestly reflected on this past year and mostly agree. It was almost like each month of 2011 added one more life lesson block to the tower until the tower collapsed in the 12th month. All I know now is that with blocks all over the floor, I’m looking forward to a major rebuild this year! (In the weeks to come, I will share more details of the life lesson blocks, and most importantly, the crashing down of those blocks. I am confident that it will be a source of great encouragement and challenge to you, as it has been for me.) As I sat at the beach, the beautiful words of Isaiah came to mind:

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”

Isaiah 61:1-4

Here’s to The Great Exchange of 2012!~

Exchanging ashes for beauty, mourning for gladness, despair for praise!

Let’s exchange devastation for restoration, renewal and a grand rebuild!

Check out What’s For Dinner on the RIGHT > it’s back!

On Monday, January 9th, the Intentional Family series will begin with Intentional Woman.

No Linda, It's Villa Montalvo, up in Northern California. It's where Roger and I got married, and whenever we're up to visit my family, we go there. It's right by my parent's house, so it's fun to take the kids and show them where our wedding was!